Lance Armstrong

Lance Armstrong began his career competing as a triathlete at the age of 16. But
in 1992 began his career as a professional cyclist with the Motorola team.
Armstrong gained notable success between the years 1993 and 1996. This
included the 1993 World Championship, the 1995 Clsica de San Sebastin, the
1995 and 96 Tour DuPont and even a few stages in Europe. In 1998 to 2005
Armstrong won his Tour de France titles as well as a bronze medal at the 2000
Olympics. Armstrong Retired in 2005. Doping allegations were targeted at
Armstrong after his win at the 1999 Tour de France. However it wasnt until 2012
when a United States Anti-Doping Agency concluded that there recent
investigation revealed that Armstrong had taken performance-enhancing drugs
through his career.
Lance Armstrong was found to be taking: Erythropoietin, testosterone, cortisone
and human growth hormone. Although it is not a drug he was also having blood
transfusions.
Erythropoietin is a hormone produced by the kidneys to promote the formation of
red blood cells. This occurs when oxygen levels are too low in the body. Athletes
use this as a performance enhancer due to its effect of increasing the oxygen-
carrying capacity of blood. Testosterone can help
athletes build bigger muscles in a sort amount of time. However the side effects
are severe. Due to the fact testosterone must be taken regularly over long
periods to have an effect the side effects are a lot worse. Side effects may
include live damage, high cholesterol levels, problems with prostate, cancer and
even issues with the heart and circulatory system. Cortisone has the
effect of increasing airflow and may affect the bodys metabolism. Cortisone
allows you to train more while eating less which means that you also lose weight.
Some side effects include diabetes, high blood pressure, muscle weakness and
even weight gain. Human Growth Hormone has the effect of
increasing muscle mass, decreasing fat stores and accelerating muscle recovery.
However some small studies have shown no increase in muscle size. Some of the
side effects of using human growth hormone can include arthritis, diabetes and in rare
cases mad cow disease.
After Lance Armstrong was caught by a United States Anti-Doping Agency and
named and was the named the ringleader of "the most sophisticated,
professionalized and successful doping program that sport has ever seen." By
the very same agency. Armstrong was given a lifetime ban from all sports that
follow the World Anti-Doping Agency code. This effectively ended Armstrongs
career in sports. In addition to this all his achievements after 1982 would be
taken from him, this included his seven Tour de France titles.